Watercraft, such as kayaks, canoes, etc., may have variable shapes, designs and styles for different types of uses. For example, some watercraft may be designed for whitewater use, while others may be designed for recreational use, ocean touring, multi-use, etc.
Many types of watercraft include a cockpit configured to accommodate attachment of a spray skirt. A spray skirt is a skirt that is worn around the waist or torso and that includes a perimeter configured to be attached to a cockpit rim to help prevent water from waves, paddle drips, etc. from entering the cockpit, and to help prevent a watercraft from swamping during an Eskimo roll. Spray skirts typically include an opening that allows the spray skirt to be fitted around a user's waist, and an elastic member such as a bungee cord, rubber gasket, etc. that holds the skirt around the cockpit rim.
Spray skirts also typically include a release mechanism that allows the skirt to be easily removed from around the cockpit. The release mechanism often takes the form of a loop of webbing, cord, etc. attached to the front edge of the spray skirt where the spray skirt attaches to the cockpit rim. For watercraft such as whitewater kayaks and decked canoes, cockpits are sized such that a user may be able to easily reach out to the end of the spray skirt, grab the release mechanism, and pull the release mechanism, causing release of the spray skirt from the watercraft. Whitewater watercraft cockpits are typically small enough that the release mechanism is reachable even when a user is disoriented or trapped against the back deck of the watercraft.
In other watercraft, however, the size and/or shape of the cockpit may make accessing a release mechanism on the front of the spray skirt more difficult. For example, recreational kayaks often have cockpit openings of a substantially larger size than whitewater kayaks. This may provide users with a greater sense of safety, and/or may provide for a greater relative ease of entry and exit. However, due to the large size of these cockpits, it may be difficult for a user to reach a release mechanism disposed at the front of the spray skirt. Moreover, in the event of a capsize, where a user may become disoriented, a release loop disposed a significant distance from the user may be difficult to locate and activate. For these and other reasons, spray skirts are sometimes not used with recreational kayaks.
Likewise, spray skirts may cause a cockpit to be uncomfortably warm, and/or may make the interior of a watercraft to be difficult to access when the spray skirt is in use. A user desiring to ventilate the cockpit or to access the interior of the cockpit must generally remove the spray skirt from around the cockpit to permit ventilation or access.